Atlanta OKs streetcar purchase funds

The Atlanta City Council moved forward with planning the Atlanta streetcar project by voting to approve $9 million to buy new streetcar vehicles and approving a construction contract with MARTA, said Duriya Farooqui, Atlanta's deputy chief operating officer.

Construction on the streetcar route from the historic Martin Luther King Jr. district to Centennial Olympic Park will begin in the fall, Farooqui said.

Earlier this week, proponents said the project might include tapping an option by Utah Transit Authority (UTA) with Siemens for an unspecified number of S70 light rail vehicles, capable of on-street operation, instead of seeking true streetcar designs.

The federal Department of Transportation last year awarded $47.6 million to Atlanta for the 2.6-mile streetcar route, targeted to open in 2013.